Dodge has issued a recall for more than 8,000 Charger EVs due to an issue that could increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The “amplifier may be missing software, which can prevent the amplifier from emitting exterior sound, including pedestrian warnings,” the problem description states.
“As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 141, ‘Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid Electric Vehicles.'”
Why does this matter? If a vehicle does not make a loud enough noise, it could fail to alert pedestrians of an approaching vehicle. Those not paying attention would be at risk of an injury.
According to the recall acknowledgement issued to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, this issue affects an estimated 8,390 electric chargers from the 2024 and ’25 model years. Owners of the affected vehicles will receive letters after July 10, 2025.
To address the problem, dealers will inspect and update the amplifier software that produces this artificial noise. They will provide the service free of charge to Charger owners.
Dodge revealed the Charger “exhaust note” in 2024
As an EV, the new Charger does not produce the sound that consumers typically associate with muscle cars. Dodge sought to address these concerns by installing the Fratzonic Exhaust System, which it first unveiled in 2022.
This built-in amplifier produced an artificial exhaust note with the goal of delivering that muscle car auditory experience. Early iterations had a more electronic tone, but Dodge continued working on the system ahead of the Charger’s launch.
The automaker teased the Charger Daytona’s artificial exhaust note on Aug. 7, 2024. It posted a video of the EV racing past the camera while exiting a tunnel. The video emphasized the sound and the “turbocharger whine.”
Of course, this artificial exhaust was not an “always-on” feature of the new Charger. Instead, owners had the option to turn it off and activate Stealth Mode.